2003 Mazda Protege - missing oil drain plug, car died?

A few hours after an oil change on my 2003 Protege, my oil light came on. I was on a country road with no shoulder, just a big ditch, and had to drive a couple miles to find a turn off - as I did, car died. Car towed to nearest Mazda dealer - oil drain plug was missing and all oil lost. That dealer tells me they replaced the drain plug, refilled oil and car started. Ran rough, so they adjusted timing belt and now running fine. I do all maintenance and oil changes with my local dealer, who has agreed to pay costs for other place's work. I don't have car back yet and haven't been able to drive it myself yet. Could someone tell me what I need to be careful of or look for when I get the car back tonight? Is there a possibility of major engine damage or future problems even if car is running ok right now? I was planning a big roadtrip starting this weekend - should I cancel? Thanks in advance for any advice.2003 Mazda Protege - missing oil drain plug, car died?
Hopefully your dealer will be able to tell you if anything is severely wrong, but it all depends on how long you were driving the car without oil. Most likely some damage occurred, and you're lucky your dealer is paying for the other place's shoddy work. I would say when you get it back, take it out for a drive and see if you feel anything different.





I would definitely be calling the other place back and trying to at least get a refund from them, especially since they almost cost you a new engine.2003 Mazda Protege - missing oil drain plug, car died?
i see some people write somethings good and others not good at all





valves are nothing to do with major damage the bearing does...





timming nothing to do too....





if your car sudenly dies and when you hit the key starter dont move your engine then you have a blow engine that happens when heat melt together the bearings to the main parts like piston or crankshaft





if dealer fill with new oil and the car ran rough..... there is major damage on it no doubt, there is no an easy fix for this, you have to pull engine apart and replace part by part, in some worst scenarios crankshaft can be twisted and need major machine shop work to make the engine work properly or simply the cylinders have to bore up so much, that will take some good engine life by doing so





if the dealer told you they will pay for the damage at other not mazda related shop then you will need a new engine that is the best option and get the engine at pep boys or at your favorite engine shop but dont let the shop get the engine for you because the can get an used engine and charge you for a new engine so kept an eye on it
Possibility? There is no question there is major engine damage if you drove that far with no oil in the crankcase. The engine is shot. Even if it manages to run now, its life has been cut to a matter of months at best.





It is possible the drain plug slowly worked itself free as you were driving and all oil wasn't lost until the very end of your trip to the turn off, but when an oil light comes on or a gauge reads zero it is imperative the engine be shut off.





How long could you survive without any blood? And if you did, what shape would you be in? Brain damage from lack of oxygen, major organ damage and tissue decomposition. The same goes for an engine without oil. It is being run with no protection from heat, friction and pressure. All the moving parts are being subjected to metal to metal stress and a tremendous amount of heat. I'm sure the cooling system took a beating in this ordeal, too.





I doubt the timing belt jumped from lack of oil. The more likely problem is major valve train damage that has been compensated for by advancing or retarding the engine's timing.





That other shop owes you a new engine, accept nothing less, or you're going to be on the side of the road again with little or no recourse. And never, ever drive without oil again, even if you need to block a road. Someone would have come to your assistance.





Good luck.
There is absolutley no doubt that the life span of your engine has been comprimised by running without oil.


Besides the damage to the valve train and possible scoring of the piston walls, the big problems are the white metal bearings that hold your crank, rods and camshafts in place. These bearings are extremly delicate and when not lubricated become scored or completley wiped by the rotation and excess heat.





Scored or wiped bearings result in ';Engine Knocking'; which is a noise produced by the shaft striking the bearings. In a normal situation where the bearings are in good condition a hydrodynamic oil wedge is formed which holds the shaft suspended away from the bearings, allowing lubricating oil to pass through the gap between the shaft and the bearing surface. If the oil is not present or the bearings are damaged the ';hydrodynamic wedge'; does not form allowing the shaft to rest on the bearings causing further damage to the bearings and the shaft as the engine is rotated.





Tests and advertisements for teflon based oils or engine coatings often run engines to destruction without oil present in the engine. The idea being that once and engine has been treated with a teflon product it will develop a non stick surface like a teflon coated frying pan. These teflon engine products are regarded by most industry experts with some scepticism as there are no guarantees of protection to the parts of your engine that require it. I doubt that your engine would have been treated in this manner.





Your dealer may have access to a borescope with which they can look through the spark plug holes to assess the condition of the cylinders, pistons and valves. A full engine oil analysis, is another option the dealer should have available on request, to establish if any white metal is present in the oil. This will give an indication of damage to vital bearings.


Reaslistically though, the only way to know the full extent of the damage to your engine is to do a complete inspection by pulling it a part.


I wouldnt be accepting the car back without some pretty strong guarantees and I certainly wouldnt be doing a long trip in it until this is sorted.





Good luck
When the oil light comes on is when you turn the engine off. I know of one court case in which the dealership was only responsible for the drain plug and the oil, not any further damage.





Usually the first thing to get damage is either the number 2 or 3 rod bearing. This is usually the first one to go out and one of the first places that the oil goes to from the oil pump and filter.





I have seen two cases where a car was towed in without oil and drove out. I don't know what the long term results were.





I worked on one car that was towed to the shop where I worked. It had stalled at a stop light. The points and plugs were in really bad shape, so I did a tune up on it. (74 Rx4) While I was adjusting everything the car stopped. The car would not crank over. Battery was OK. I checked the oil dip stick and no oil was on the stick. I put car up on lift and pulled the drain plug. Nothing. Filled with oil. Started and ran fine. Again, don't know for how long.
Well if you drove a few miles with little and then no oil you did some damage. Have them do compression test to see how badly the cylinder walls are torn up. Hopefully the dealer/oil change place is upfront about it and agrees to cover the repairs due to their mistake.





I wouldn't take a road trip in that car until I was positive everything has been fixed correctly.
I also have a 03 mazda protege and if the oil plug was lost then your car was pretty much running off of nothing!! so honestly theres a possibility you could have engine damage!! maybe now maybe later!! But it's a 4 cylinder so they are pretty hard to tear up. But i would just watch it and see if it starts acting funny!! it would probably be a good idea to rent a car to go out of town, in case if your car does breakdown just to be on the safe side!!
If the oil would not have been in the crankcase when it left the dealers, the light would have been on then. But plugs in oil pans that are tightened down, don't just fall out. I would guess that it was not tight when you left and fell out.


As for major damage, if the engine just shut down, that the engine maybe alright. I have known of those that drove 50 miles with no oil and there was no damage to the engine. As a matter of fact at one time there was a commercial showing engines being run to seizure that had no oil in them.


My personnel opinion is that you should trade the car off, like in the next year. Because if there was major damage you will hear rod knocks and such on start up, but the engine may have a shortened life span